Step-ladder



(No Model.)

W; F. GORDON.

I STEP LADDER.

No. 357,706. Patented Feb. 15, 1887.

ing legs to the side rails.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VVI LLIAM F. GORDON, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.-

STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,706,6lated February 15, 1887.

Application filcd October 29, 1886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. GORDON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Step -Ladders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in step-ladders; and it consists,in the construction of the device, in forming a firm and reliable fastening for securing the steps to the side rails and in forming an improved means of holding the folding legs in an extended position.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheaper and more easily-constructed step-ladder, and one that is more securely fastened together and that will hold-itself in an extended position in a manner that it must be tilted forward before the legs can be folded and so that it will be impossible for the legs to fold together while in use, and thereby causing annoyance and trouble.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the devices I employ to attain these objects.

Figure 1 represents a side view of my'improved step-ladder in an extended position for use. Fig. 2 is the same closed for storing or shipping. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 4 is a section showing mode of securing the step to the side rails. Fig. 5 is an en larged view of the device securing the fold- Fig. 6 is the same with the legs extended. Fig. 7 is a view of Fig. 5, with the leg removed.

or represents the side rails, which are constructed of the pieces I), firmly secured to gether at their lower ends, and sprung apart and held in position at their upper ends by a piece, a, secured between the pieces.

(2 are the steps, which are notched at their ends to allow the ends to pass between the pieces 12. These steps are secured in position Serial No. 217,501. (No model.)

the parts may be drawn firmly together at any time should any shrinkage occur. The bolt 6 is passed through the step in a peculiar man ner by entering the front edge of the step below the center of its thickness and emerging from the rear edge thereof, so that the under corner of the rear edge will be at or near the center of the thickness of the bolt, or so that the opening through the step for the bolt wlll be cut entirely through the under side of the step fora short distance at the rear portion thereof. This form of placing the bolt through the step is of a very great advantage,as it places most of the material of the step above the bolt, yet leaves still enough below the bolt to hold the step firmly in position and glve strength to the truss form of the side ra ls by firmly binding them together at short 111136! vals, and forms a fastening that is at once cheap and strong.

The upper step, f, is considerably wlder than the steps below,and is secured to the upper ends of the side rails, and is further supported by the bed-pieces g, secured across beneath the step and to the outside of the upper end of the side rails. The lower edge of these bed-pieces is provided with the notches h, near their central portions, the portlon'i on the front side of the notch projecting considerably below the portionj on the rear side of the notch. The pieces 0, near their lower ends and at their back edges, are provided with the slots Z, and m are legs, the upper ends of which are placed outside of the side rails,a, and are held in position by the rod a, passing through the legs at some distance below their upper ends and through the slots Z. The legs on are held in position relative to each other by the Crossbars 0 and .braces 19, and rest, when closed for storage or shipping, against the back of the side rails, a, the rod n resting in the lower portion of the slots Z, and when extended for use form a brace for the step portion of the ladder, with the upper ends, q, resting within the notches h and bearin g against the bed-pieces, the rod n then having moved to the upper portion of the slots 1. Theseslots Z are provided with a curved portion, 9, at their upper ends, so that when the rod n is resting within the upper portion of the slot and the top of the step-ladder is moved quickly forward the weight of the lower portion of the legs causes the rod to bear against the convex side of the curved portion 2' before the upper ends (1 are free from the notches h, and the curve operates to prevent the rod from moving downward and holds the rod in position to retain the ends q within the notches 71, so that the step-ladder, if desired, can be moved about while in use without folding.

To fold the legs,the upper end of the ladder is drawn slowly forward, which allows the rod to pass around the curved portion 9' and drop to the lower portion of the slot, which frees the ends g from the notches h, and the legs then swing freely inward and fold with the cross-bars 0 against the side rails, a.

Havingdescribed myinvention,whatIclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In astep-ladder, in combination, the side pieces, b, the steps d, having their ends placed between the side pieces, and a bolt, 0, passed through the side pieces and diagonally through the end of the steps, and constructed asherein set forth.

2. In a step-ladder, the combination of the side rails, a, the steps d, secured to the side rails, the pieces 0 at the upper ends of the side rails and provided with the slots Z, the legs m, with their upper ends on opposite sides of the side rails, and a rod, n, passing through the slots and into the legs, with the pieces secured to the upper ends of the side rails and provided in their lower edges with the notches h, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. GORDON.

\Vitnesses:

W. H. POWER, J AS. E. THOMAS. 

